The Cooking School, cooking teacher

The Cooking School

The Cooking School

20 Years Experience in Cooking

location_on Alexandria, Sydney

local_activity classes: Italian CookingThai CookingCooking

4.7 (65)

Our aim is to provide guidance on topics as diverse as practical nutrition, vegetarian options, cooking with seasonal produce, and effective shopping techniques.

At the COOKING school, we provide a practical introduction to cooking skills and knowledge, in an environment that is fun but informative. Our teachers are relaxed yet professional, and our classes are a mix of hands on and demonstration.

Head Chef Gabriele has managed commercial kitchens for over 20 years and joined "the COOKING school" in 2010.






Classes






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Reviews

(65)


Liam Guthrie-Lyons Mar 2024


Our teacher was knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and provided great tips for preparing and cooking pasta and sauces.

Jordan Cox Mar 2024


The class is supposed to have max 16 people yet the class that we did had 24 people on.

The chef was friendly and nice but that’s where it ends.

The Facilities: terrible. 24 squashed in a dirty kitchen. 4 people cramped at a tiny workbench sharing a pasta machine and utensils. There was clutter everywhere. The stove where the chef cooks is in the corner so you can’t see what he is doing when he cooks. This is not a kitchen set up designed to teach.

There is a lot of waiting around because nothing is prepped beforehand. Is it really necessary to wait 5-10 mins watching the chef cut a pumpkin, then 5-10 while he cuts garlic and then 25 minutes because 24 people are sharing 3 stoves?

The assistant is miserable, doesn’t introduce herself and sits on her phone the whole time. Wouldn’t it be useful if she could as at least friendly and prepped some of the ingredients so the class moves on?

We had a 15 minute tutorial on how to cut safely with a knife but not supervision on cooking the pasta?

Wouldn’t recommend. if you are going to teach in a rented kitchen space that isn’t purpose built you need to book a lot less people on the course, maybe 8 not 24.

Teacher's response

Hi Jordan, It's sad to see that you didn't enjoy the class, I reviewed the cameras and they are telling me something different.

I may have allocated 16 spots to ClassBento, this doesn't mean that the total number of participants is 16.

The facility was nice and clean, but it's not Masterchef!
4 people on a table can work perfectly and as I explained at the beginning of the class that promotes socialising and helps with confidence as you're not working alone in a professional kitchen, you're there to have fun while learning.
My classes are full hands on, so I need to demonstrate first, and while I'm doing that I explain everything around my actions.

Not sure where did you see the clutter, the dirt or anything else, and if you were paying attention I introduced my assistant, which by the way wasn't on her phone and didn't look miserable at all.

While cutting the pumpkin, I explained about chef knife skills, showing the correct and safe way of handling a knife, I guided you through the techniques used to steam and deglazing the vegetables.

You may have not seen it, but the supervision it has always been there, throughout the whole class by my assistant and myself, especially during the cooking time.

I've been running these courses for over 15 years, the classes can go up to 35 people, and I never received any negative feedback.

Thanks for your suggestions, a maximum of 8 people is not practical and my assistant did prepared quite few of the ingredients.

Alexis Thorley Jan 2024


Teacher was great, kept it casual and fun. I thought making pasta was going to be difficult yet the teacher made it so simple. We had a wonderful time.

Peter Lew Jan 2024


Teacher was knowledgeable, needed to project his voice, difficult to hear with kitchen exhaust fan noise. Shared making pasta between two people which I expected everyone would be doing the task so let down in that aspect considering the $ paid was per person. Improved presentation skills would improve the interactive experience

Cooking class review by Peter Lew - Sydney

Sal Compton Jan 2024

5 ClassBento workshops attended • 5 reviews


Great small class and lots of space.
Have been making pasta regularly ever since doing this course, rarely buy it anymore, and refuse to order pasta dishes at Italian restaurants anymore that don't make their own
Took my 14 year old son, he loved it - the getting involved, not just the eating

Sally Gao Nov 2023

16 ClassBento workshops attended • 7 reviews


Felt like cooking at home as many of the ingredients used in the class are from Close

Cooking class review by Sally Gao - Sydney

Jak Gannon Oct 2023


Gabriel was a great teacher and we learnt a lot. I have been to Sri Lanka 4 x at the cuisine we cooked was the same as the real thing! Just a little less chilli!

Vladimir Gligorovski Oct 2023

56 ClassBento workshops attended • 44 reviews


It was a nice class but needed to leave at 12 liked the teacher and the preparation was great

Barbara Dart Oct 2023


Fantastic session with chef Gabriel. Am now enthusiastic about making my own pasta. Very informative with lots of tips. Would highly recommend.

Cooking class review by Barbara Dart - Sydney

Yukari Shyegun Aug 2023


It was good to learn about a variety of spices and discover the easiest and tastiest ways to cook aromatic rice. The instructor was a very kind and nice person.

Herminia Alves Jul 2023

2 ClassBento workshops attended


Amazing!never having not fresh pasta again after todaygood good goood yummy yummy yummy

Cooking class review by Herminia Alves - Sydney

Elzbieta Pranskute Jun 2023


The class was great! My boyfriend and I had such a fun time making pasta. The teacher was super nice and gave many useful tips and tricks. Definitely would recommend this class to everyone.

Cooking class review by Elzbieta Pranskute - Sydney

Emma Harnett Jun 2023

5 ClassBento workshops attended • 5 reviews


It was a great class. He made it easy to learn how to make pasta and helped when I made a mistake. I would definitely recommend this class. My favorite pasta was the burnt sage butter and pumpkin ravioli.

Cooking class review by Emma Harnett - Sydney

Victoria Carter Jun 2023

10 ClassBento workshops attended • 3 reviews


This class was amazing and comfortable. Very informative and easy to ask questions. Will definitely be going back here for their other cooking classes.

Fresh Pasta Masterclass review by Victoria Carter - Sydney

Michelle Stares Jun 2023

2 ClassBento workshops attended


This was a great class. If you love seafood but aren’t confident in cooking it this is the class to start. The teacher was fantastic in explaining the basics and was extremely helpful. Really recommend this class

Fresh Seafood Cooking Class review by Michelle Stares - Sydney

Alex Lacey May 2023


Learned lots about use of frypans and how to stop food sticking at all! Well worth it

Karen Catalano Apr 2023


Great class and lots of fun! Thoroughly enjoyed everything about the day and very well organised. Will definitely be doing another!

Cooking class review by Karen Catalano - Sydney

Jeremy Trahair Mar 2023


Our host and chef was a very nice guy and very professional in the kitchen.
Unfortunately the dishes that we cooked did not take us back to Sri Lanka. Food in Sri Lanka is spicy and fiery but our dishes were on the bland side. The boiled chicken was plain and disappointing. Also disappointing was the lack of sambals and freshly grated coconut which you will always find on a Sri Lankan table.
We would prefer our teacher to be an ethnic representative of the food being prepared. Nevertheless we still enjoyed our day.

Cooking class review by Jeremy Trahair - Sydney

Jacqui Bineham Feb 2023


We had so fun. Very informative, we learnt so much and enjoyed eating what we made.

Kristy Jones Feb 2023

3 ClassBento workshops attended • 3 reviews


Good sized class, good instruction and format. Nice to sit down and eat together at end.

Jacqueline Mann Jan 2023

8 ClassBento workshops attended • 7 reviews


Fun experience, Gabriele was excellent, hands on in the pasta making not in the sauce making but everything was delicious. Educational and approachable. Feeling confident to give it all a try.

Oscar Murphy Jan 2023


The teacher was friendly and patient. He broke down the cooking steps well and also provided detail on extra steps.

Crystal Antonios Nov 2022


Gabriel was such a pleasant and informative teacher! Such a great birthday gift and amazing kitchen skills I’ll be sure to never forget! Thanks heaps and I will defiantly be back

Jack Armson Oct 2022

2 ClassBento workshops attended • 2 reviews


This pasta class was amazing!
The chef was so much fun - and so helpful with questions/tips and overall teaching.
The pasta is delicious and we will definitely be making it for our families soon!
10/10 would recommend to anyone.

Jelica Orasanin Oct 2022


So easy and fun to learn; great presentation and guidance by the chef to make the class enjoyable.

Suzanna Cashmore Oct 2022

14 ClassBento workshops attended • 11 reviews


The course was great and as usual the teacher was amazing. Very knowledgeable friendly. The macaroons were delicious

Macaroon Making Class review by Suzanna Cashmore - Sydney

Bradley Stoneham Sep 2022


What a fun few hours learning the arts of Sri Lankan cooking.
The teacher was relaxed but attentive, patiently supporting us through the various recipes.
The facilities were good and we really enjoyed eating the meal together and chatting afterwards.
I would highly recommend this class.

Sima Oertli Sep 2022

3 ClassBento workshops attended


Gabrielle was a wonderful host and teacher.
The food we made was delicious! Highly recommended.

Angelica Gatis Aug 2022

7 ClassBento workshops attended • 4 reviews


This class was super fun and educational, I would totally recommend to friends and family

Fresh Pasta Masterclass review by Angelica Gatis - Sydney

Suzanna Cashmore Jul 2022

14 ClassBento workshops attended • 11 reviews


The Pasta master class was amazing. The teacher was great and extremely knowledgeable the pasta was amazing with the sauces chosen

Cooking class review by Suzanna Cashmore - Sydney

Vicki Shipley Jun 2022


Teacher was approachable and answered questions in depth. Food was very fresh and available at supermarkets.I extended my knowledge of seafood as well as increasing techniques and short cuts in food preparation. Simple ideas for starters that are eye catching

Caitlin Manoharan Jun 2022

4 ClassBento workshops attended • 3 reviews


Lovely teacher- really funny and professional, and kept us involved at all stages of the class. Even though I attended on my own, I wasn't made to feel like an outsider and really joined in the session. Thank you so much :)

Sean Kirk May 2022


We really enjoyed the class. Gabriel was friendly, engaging and informative, and explained things clearly.

Elizabeth Filmer May 2022


We did the seafood cooking class, it was good and I would definitely use some of the recipies. The Chef explained procedures well and demonstrated cutting techniques.

Cooking class review by Elizabeth Filmer - Sydney

Sanah May 2022


The teacher was very patient and took care too explain the process catering to attendees with all levels of cooking experience. It was indeed a good Sunday spent.

Rashmi Totade May 2022

25 ClassBento workshops attended • 20 reviews


Amazing class, the teacher was very good and was really passionate about what he does. We were taught 3 different types of pasta and sauce and they all tasted awesome. The chef also taught us knife skills and lot of tips which i did not know. I would highly recommend this class.

Kayla O'Neill May 2022

2 ClassBento workshops attended


Gabby was such a great teacher and so friendly! It was such a great day learning how to make some delicious pasta and yummy sauces using limited ingredients. We now feel confident enough to give it a go at home!

Graham Gallagher May 2022


Class very good, hands on , and easy to follow instructions. Teacher good and easy to understand, would recommend.

Steve Irwin Apr 2022


Gage was awesome at breaking down the steps required for making pasta and provided excellent tips should your pasta for wrong in process.

The 3 sauces were tasty and will be easy to do at home.

Totally enjoyed the session

Robyn Valencia Apr 2022


Teacher/Chef was wonderful and extremely informative.
The food was simple and very healthy .
Thank you

Chelsea Lewis Apr 2022


Had such a good time and learnt so much, great day Would highly recommend this!

Angela Farrugia Mar 2022


Interesting and fun class. Laid back environment and learnt how to make delicious pasta dishes

Fresh Pasta Masterclass review by Angela Farrugia - Sydney

Paula Wu Mar 2022


Amazing class! We learnt so many cooking tips from Gabriel and the food was just spectacular.

Kathryn Meekings Jan 2022


We appreciated the teacher answering all our questions thoroughly and also showing us some great tips amd tricks. He really helped debunk some myths about cooking seafood too.

Kyle Hume Nov 2021

8 ClassBento workshops attended • 7 reviews


Gabriele was fantastic explained everything in detail and depth. And all the little misshapes that might happen. I recommend this course.

Antonio Nov 2021


Amazing class, the chef was extremely helpful and full of tips and tricks of the trade. He made pasta making very simple and easy to follow, definitely recommend this class to anyone who wants to learn the basics on pasta making and also simple sauces :)

Kathy Panas Jun 2021


Fantastic class. Great teacher, patient & knowledgeable.
Only suggestion: possibly providing attendees with apron to keep.

Cooking class review by Kathy Panas - Sydney

Sienna Fitzgerald Jun 2021


Highly recommend this class. It was fun, well organised and an overall great experience - the food was delicious and we learnt a lot about pasta making and general cooking technique. The teacher was so welcoming, experienced and accommodating and went out of his way to ensure we had an awesome time. Great atmosphere - will definitely be back!

Elizabeth Seaton Jun 2021


This class was everything I hoped for and so much more. Great teacher walk us through 5 different recipes I now feel confident to cook at home which showcase our beautiful here in Aus. Lots of extra tips and tricks from using knife well to plating ideas. Everything provided and great setting. Relaxed and enjoyable but most importantly the teacher was extremely generous with his expertise.

Shane Petros May 2021


My husband and I had a great time at our seafood cooking with Gabriel, would definitely recommend! Also had a lovely small class

Carlos Braak May 2021


Our Teacher Gabriel was really helpful and entertaining, sharing all the useful tips to be mindful of when making pasta either at home or within the confines of a fast paced restaurant kitchen.

A great course for any skill level regardless of your culinary expertise.

Highly recommend.

Adam Cass May 2021


Gabriel was very informative, the class was lots of fun & everything we made during the class felt achievable to recreate at home.

Emma Jessica May 2021


The class is great in every way! Great service, great value for money! 100% recommend

Fresh Pasta Masterclass review by Emma Jessica - Sydney

Lydia Liddle May 2021


I got this class for my partner as a birthday present, the teacher was great! Shared heaps of tips from years of experience. We both thoroughly enjoyed and 1000% would recommend doing it!

Sandra Katon May 2021

4 ClassBento workshops attended • 3 reviews


Great location, practical hands on experience. Teacher was very knowledgeable & patient, lots of tips to help in the kitchen. Highly recommend

Fresh Pasta Masterclass review by Sandra Katon - Sydney

Emily Berger Apr 2021


We just had a great hen's party with Gabriele helping us cook our own Sri Lankan feast! Gabriele went to every effort to make sure we all had a good time and weren't rushed. Gabriele has a lovely patient nature that had everyone at ease from the get go and nurtured us through the dishes, especially if we felt like just having a chat while he cooked a bit! Drinks were on ice, snacks were servedwhat a great way to incorporate an activity and a meal for such an occasion. Thanks again Gabriele and co.

Marissa Georgilas Feb 2021

3 ClassBento workshops attended


My husband and I loved the class! Gabrielle was very insightful and patient in explaining all the techniques along the way. He even shared some great general tips and tricks that will stick with us for a lifetime. Would definitely recommend!

Shaun Botes Feb 2021


Very informative with good tips and tricks.

I am better at eating dessert than making it. But now I can do both!

Bartek Marnane Feb 2021

3 ClassBento workshops attended • 2 reviews


Really enjoyed the class, learnt a lot about different dessert types. Very knowledgeable and friendly chef!

Sam Oke Jan 2021


Good class size and simple recipes. Wish I could have been closer to the demonstrations and had a little more time to think and cook the food when moved to the kitchen.

Suresh Sethuraman Jan 2021

2 ClassBento workshops attended • 2 reviews


Seafood cooking class with Gabriele - he was warm & friendly, taught us few tips dealing with seafood and was in Napule Restaurant. Got taught quite few recipes in 3 hours - baked salmon, garlic prawns, scallop ceviche, pan fried stuffed calamari and seafood risotto. Excellent class - got bonus croquettes from restaurant while there - pesto croquette was amazing. Overall- great experience- would recommend.

Fresh Seafood Cooking Class review by Suresh Sethuraman - Sydney

Srinath Anumarlapudi Dec 2020


Enjoyable class, had a good time and learnt a fair bit about cooking pasta and sauces.

Suzie Agha Nov 2020


The pasta class was amazing! Gabrielle was such an excellent teacher. He made us feel very comfortable and the 3 hours flew! The food was delicious and the process was extremely fun. I would highly recommend this experience to everyone and I will definitely be attending other cooking classes.

Cooking class review by Suzie Agha - Sydney

Caitlin Squillari Sep 2020


Gabriele was such a great teacher The class was so much fun and we learnt so many things. Can’t wait to start making our own pasta

Mary Weaver Aug 2020

2 ClassBento workshops attended


We had a fantastic experience and loved every minute of our session! Easy and relaxed atmosphere.

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